Magmortar, The Blast Pokémon. It blasts fireballs of over 3,600 degrees F from the ends of its arms. It lives in volcanic craters.

Overview

Electabuzz and Magmar followed very similar paths throughout the games. Both were unique to a single cartridge, both gained a pre-evolution in the second generation and now both have gained an evolution in the fourth generation. For Magmar, that evolution was Magmortar. Unfortunately for Magmortar, it hasn't experienced anywhere near the same level of popularity as experienced by its counterpart, Electivire.

Magmortar is mainly letdown by its rather average Speed stat, sitting at a rather unexceptional Base 83. Unlike Electivire, it doesn't benefit from a great ability to make up for that weakness. Additionally, being a Fire type causes some problems, most notably the weakness to the ever popular Stealth Rock. It isn't a poor Pokémon though. It offers a powerful Base 125 Special Attack and a good move-pool, and being something of a Borderline choice, it faces its opponents as an unexpected threat.

Trait

Flame Body: has a 30% chance to burn its opponent should they use an attack that's defined as having 'physical contact'. Being that most of these moves work against Magmortar's rather lowly Defence stat, it won't be taking too many hits from these kind of moves, but when it kicks in it's nice. Not a particularly noteworthy ability but at least it isn't a waste of space, but Magmortar could've certainly done with a Motor Drive equivalent.

Move Sets

Choice

- Lava Plume / Overheat
- Thunderbolt
- Hidden Power [Ice]
- Focus Blast
Item Attached: Choice Specs / Choice Scarf
Ability: Flame Body
EVs and Nature:
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Spd / 252 SAtk
Modest Nature (+SAtk, -Atk)

Working off of Magmortar's already sizable Special Attack, Choice Specs is a solid path for Magmortar to follow. Lava Plume provides it with reliable STAB, with the additional bonus of a 30% burn chance, although it can be dropped in favour of any of its stronger Fire moves, including Overheat, which performs well with the fast switching nature of a Choice set.

Thunderbolt deals very nicely with the majority of Water types. Hidden Power [Ice] is pretty much the only way it's going to get around the common Dragons (Salamence and Garchomp). Focus Blast deals a very hefty blow to Heatran, as well as Blissey.

Forgettable Speed is Magmortar's biggest letdown when sweeping is considered, so Choice Scarf can make up for that and add another element of surprise to an already unconventional choice.

Mixed Sweeper

- Lava Plume
- Thunderbolt
- Hidden Power [Ice]
- Cross Chop
Item Attached: Life Orb / Expert Belt
Ability: Flame Body
EVs and Nature:
EVs: 84 Atk / 172 Spd / 252 SAtk
Mild Nature (+SAtk, -Def)

The other route to take is mixed sweeping, and at a very respectable Base 95, Magmortar's Attack stat is perfectly usable. The obvious incentive for taking advantage of it is using the physical Cross Chop against the ever common Blissey. Aside from that, Magmortar can continue to take advantage of its lovely type coverage and hit many common threats for super-effective damage.

Life Orb gives the most powerful and consistent boost, but with Stealth Rock and Sandstorm already being threats to its survivability, the additional 10% 'recoil' is highly unattractive. Since Magmortar picks up super-effective damage on a lot of opponents, the 1.2x super-effective boost from Expert Belt will usually suffice.

EVs and Nature:

Magmortar can generally get away with the 252/252 sweeper spread most of the time, since it has little use for defensive EVs. The mixed set has use for Attack EVs though, usually taken from its Speed. Since Magmortar fails to really reach the 'average' Speed for a fragile sweeper, it can do with less Speed. Having just enough to outrun the 'slow' bulky sweepers is acceptable, 244 being the main number, to outrun Jolly Tyranitar.

Other Options

Flamethrower, Fire Blast, Solarbeam, Sunny Day, Hidden Power [Grass], Earthquake, Focus Punch, Thunderpunch, Mach Punch, Flare Blitz, Will-o-Wisp, Taunt, Counter, Focus Sash.

Flamethrower and Fire Blast present the power alternatives to Lava Plume.

Sunny Day and Solarbeam is an option, but being that Magmortar is slow, it can't really go for a straight sweep like its chlorophyll Sunny-Beam alternatives.

Hidden Power [Grass] provides it with a means to get around Swampert (and a more accurate alternative for Rhyperior), although at the cost of losing the wonderful Dragon coverage provided by Hidden Power [Ice].

Earthquake sends Heatran, as well as other Fire types, running, although Heatran already takes a chunk from Fighting moves and other Fire types tend to have weak defensive stats to pick at anyway.

Focus Punch is an alternative to Cross Chop, although it's less effective for sweeping purposes. Additionally, it has Thunderpunch, Mach Punch and Flare Blitz, opening up some physical sweeping avenues, although the value of them is questionable when Blaziken and Infernape can perform the same sets with much stronger results.

Will-o-Wisp provides a more reliable way to land a burn, although Magmortar's speciality is offence, and Lava Plume supplies a healthy enough chance of a burn.

Taunt keeps Blissey from trying to Softboiled stall, as well as keeps its Thunder Wave attempts at bay.

Counter-Sash can get a surprise KO, as it can with any fragile Pokémon, but Magmortar has better uses for that move-slot and is really too slow to be doing much of anything at 1HP.

Countering Magmortar

Without Hidden Power [Grass], it won't be getting around Swampert easily. The Lava Plume burn chance presents a risk, but aside from that, Swampert is quite safe. Rhyperior won't take kindly to boosted Focus Blasts or Hidden Power [Grass], but it can deal with the rest of what Magmortar's offence. Heatran has real problems with Cross Chop and Focus Blast, but aside from that, it's fairly comfortable and can hit back with Earth Power. Blissey has problems with Cross Chop and boosted Focus Blasts sting, but it can manage. Thick Fat Snorlax has the same problems, but can manage otherwise.

Magmortar packs a great deal of offensive power, but it's letdown by its horrid Speed. Additionally, it doesn't have an easy time switching in, especially with Stealth Rock threatening to knock down its HP. Most faster sweepers can deal with it once they're in play, it's just a matter of predicting which offensive move it's going to use and sending in a Pokémon that can handle it.

Locations in Games

Ruby/Sapphire/Emerald Not In Game Colosseum/XD Not In Game Fire Red/Leaf Green Not In Game Diamond/Pearl Evolve from Magmar

Animé Appearences

Magmortar has yet to make any anime appearances